Key Terms/ Definitions

Question 1

Biological Psychology

Answer 1

Is the study of how behaviour and experience are affected by physiological, evolutionary and developmental mechanisms

Question 2

Monism

Answer 2

Is the concept that mental activity (thoughts) and certain types of brain activity ( brain functioning) are the same. There is only one type of being.

Question 3

Biological explanations of behaviour:

1) Physiological

Answer 3

Relates behaviour to activity of brain and other organs. eg. chemical reactions that enable hormones to affect brain activity

Question 4

Biological explanations of behaviour:

2) Ontogenetic

Answer 4

(Greek) The origin of being. How structure or behaviour develops with influences from genes, nutrition, experiences and interactions. eg. Cultural background, male/female.

Question 5

Biological explanations of behaviour:

3) Evolutionary

Answer 5

Reconstructs evolutionary history of a structure or behaviour. eg. features of animals evolve - batwings are modified arms.

Question 6

Biological explanations of behaviour

4) Functional

Answer 6

Describes WHY a structure or behaviour evolved as it did. eg. how a male bird may only sing in repropuctive seasons and the function is to attract females